DOVER — On Wednesday, Jan. 2, the state House of Representatives will enter into its first legislative session, with a variety of curious and controversial bill proposals before them.

House Speaker Terie Norelli, D-Portsmouth, said she is optimistic for a year of bipartisanship in Concord, with the most recent announcement she has eliminated the proverbial “aisle” by switching up House seating, with Democrat and Republican representatives spread throughout the floor, sitting next to each other and intermingling.

“I’m looking for ways to help encourage that bipartisan conversation,” Norelli said. “I also will be returning to regular meetings with Democratic and Republican leadership, so I will meet regularly with the majority and minority leaders and certainly look forward to dealing with Democrat and minority leaders as well.”

The released LSRs, which refers to “legislative service requests,” indicate a slew of interesting proposals and concepts to go before House committees. New Hampshire is one of the few states that requires a public hearing for all bills, unless suspended by two-thirds of the members present.

Norelli explained the current LSR list represents the new proposals for this year and the filing period is now closed.

Rep. Timothy Copeland, R-Stratham, has proposed a requirement to drug test all health care workers in the state, as well as requiring registration of all medical technicians. The proposal comes in the wake of an incident that made national headlines this year, when an Exeter Hospital radiologic technician allegedly transmitted hepatitis C to dozens of patients through “drug diversion,” described as a process where one abuses hospital narcotics.

Voting procedures will also be scrutinized this biennium. Rep. Timothy Horrigan, D-Strafford, is the prime sponsor of an LSR to eliminate all voter I.D. requirements, along with representatives Marcia Moody, Cynthia Chase and Timothy Smith. Horrigan has also put forth another matter relative to voter registration, with representatives Kenneth Ward and Marcia Moody.

This proposal comes after much controversy in the 2012 election cycle. Granite Staters were required to present identification at the polls this past fall. Changes to registration requirements were also passed earlier this year, though the new law has been put on hold by a Superior Court judge.

Rep. Lucy Weber, D-Cheshire, is the primary sponsor on a matter related to photo identification as well.

Another significant issue facing lawmakers this year comes on the question of whether to expand Medicaid this year. Former House Speaker William O’Brien, R-Hillsborough, is the primary sponsor on an LSR with Timothy Comerford to prevent the state from participating in the program’s expansion.

Issues that touch on the criminal justice system include an LSR presented by Rep. Timothy Robertson, D-Keene, to prohibit the privatization of state prisons, and another from Rep. David Bickford, R-Strafford, who has suggested raising the age for juvenile delinquency from 17 to 18 years of age.

Norelli said she expects a courteous discussion on the House floor and said from her perspective, the Democratic agenda will focus on economic and budgetary challenges facing the state.

“I hope even when we have partisan issues, we find the parts we agree on first,” she said. “We find the common ground. We see if there are ways to compromise and, when all else fails, we have a very thoughtful and respectful debate.”

Minority Leader Gene Chandler, R-Bartlett, said he sees the most important matters ahead as those addressing available jobs in the state, help for small and large businesses and the reduction of taxes.

“We won’t be supporting any new taxes and (we’re) just trying to make sure we have a balanced budget based on reasonable revenue,” he said. “We’re going to be very diligent in making sure that revenue estimates that we adopt are not only reasonable but accurate and not overweighted.”

A spokesman for Governor-Elect Maggie Hassan, Marc Goldberg, said in a statement Hassan’s priorities for the future will center on “bringing people together from both parties” to a build fiscally-responsible budget.

“The Governor-Elect will also be focused on beginning to implement her Innovate N.H. jobs plan, which includes increasing the research and development tax credit, providing technical assistance to New Hampshire’s businesses and ensuring our workforce has the skills needed to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow in order to build a stronger, more innovative New Hampshire,” Goldberg wrote in an email to Foster’s.

Following the tragedy in Newtown, Conn., where 26 people were fatally shot at Sandy Hook Elementary School, including 20 young children, some citizens are hopeful gun control and gun ownership issues will be addressed by lawmakers in the future.

Norelli pointed out the House is looking to at least adopt a bill reinstating a 40-year long ban on guns in the statehouse chamber. It was recently lifted under a Republican-led House to allow representatives to carry concealed weapons.

“You know, I think we want reasonable gun legislation. We don’t want overregulation of anything,” she said. “… (but) there are fourth graders who come to the statehouse and they sit in the gallery and you know, we will be taking up that issue.”

Some nationally-discussed issues have been presented in the LSR list too, including matters related to preventing abortion when the heartbeat of a fetus can be detected, abolishing the death penalty, discussing “death with dignity” for those suffering from terminal conditions, requiring the labeling of genetically modified foods and the topic of legalization of marijuana use. A representative has also proposed the decriminalization of possession of less than one ounce of marijuana.